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Texts​ ​On​ ​Athenian​ ​Autochthony Athenian Texts on Athenian Autochthony ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Athenian Citizenship Law of 451 BCE (from Plutarch Life of Pericles 37.1–5). The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ Citizenship Law was passed at the height of Athenian power in the Aegean and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ restricted citizenship to children born of two Athenian citizen parents. This passage is ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the fullest description of the law and its details. (MLG) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ After the community put the remaining generals and leaders on trial for their conduct in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 the war, there was clearly no one left who had the requisite authority or required dignity ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ for such leadership. They longed for Pericles and called him to the speaker’s platform ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and to accept the generalship. Pericles at the time was lying depressed at home ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ because of his sorrow, but he was persuaded by Alcibiades and the rest of his friends to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2 come forward. After the people had apologized for their foolish behavior toward him, he ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ once again took up public affairs and was elected general. He then asked that the law ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ about children with only one Athenian parent be repealed. Although he himself had ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ introduced this law, he now did not want his name and family line to be completely ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ wiped out through lack of descendants. [3] The following circumstances surrounded the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ law. Many years earlier when Pericles was at the height of his political power and had ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ legitimate children (as was said), he proposed a law that only children born from two ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Athenian parents were to be Athenian. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 ​ ​Plutarch​ ​inserts​ ​the​ ​note​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Citizenship​ ​Law​ ​into​ ​his​ ​description​ ​of​ ​events​ ​in​ ​429​ ​BCE. 2 ​ ​Perikles​ ​lost​ ​both​ ​of​ ​his​ ​citizen-sons​ ​in​ ​the​ ​plague. It happened that the king of Egypt sent forty thousands measures of grain as a ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ gift and it was necessary to divide it up among the citizens. Many private lawsuits ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ sprang up from this law against illegitimate citizens, who had till then escaped notice or ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ been overlooked. Very many suffered from the prosecuting informers. [4] As a result of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the scrutiny, a little less than five thousand were convicted and sold into slavery; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ fourteen thousand and forty were judged Athenian citizens and remained in the polity. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ [5] And so it was terrible that a law, which had powerfully affected so many, be repealed ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ by the very man who proposed it. However, the present misfortune of Pericles’ family, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ seeming a sort of penalty for his contempt and arrogance, moved the Athenians to pity. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Since they considered that he was suffering retribution and that his request was only ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ human, they allowed him to enroll his illegitimate son in the phratry and give him his ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3 name. And it was this son who later won a naval victory against the Peloponnesians at ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Arginusae and whom the people put to death along with his fellow generals. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ th Euripides Ion 57-75, 260-272, 585-594, 1295-1305, 1569-1594 (5 ​ century BCE). ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Euripides’ Ion tells the story of the reunion of Creusa, princess of Athens and ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4 descendant of Erectheus/Erichthonious, the autochthon (born from the earth), with her ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3 ​ ​Scholars​ ​debate​ ​whether​ ​the​ ​exception​ ​was​ ​made​ ​only​ ​for​ ​Perikles’​ ​son​ ​or​ ​if​ ​the​ ​law​ ​was suspended​ ​for​ ​others​ ​as​ ​well. 4 ​ ​There​ ​is​ ​much​ ​confusion​ ​in​ ​Athenian​ ​mythology​ ​about​ ​these​ ​figures.​ ​By​ ​412​ ​BCE,​ ​the genealogy​ ​has​ ​settled:​ ​Erichthonious​ ​is​ ​the​ ​first​ ​autochthon,​ ​while​ ​his​ ​descendant​ ​Erechtheus​ ​is lost son by Apollo, Ion. The play’s numerous plot twists are enabled by the focus on the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Athenians’ autochthonous birth and xenophobia. (RFK) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 57–75. Hermes: Creusa, the one who bore him, was married to Xuthus under the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ following circumstances: a wave of war crashed over Athens and the Chalcidians, who ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ hold sway in Euboea. Xuthus was deemed worthy of being Creusa’s husband through ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ his efforts in the war even though he was foreign born, an Achaean, the son of Zeus’ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ son Aeolus. Now, although they have planted many a seed in their marriage bed, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Xuthus and Creusa have long been childless. For this reason, they have come to the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ oracle of Apollo, longing for children. Little do they know that Apollo Loxias it was who ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ had driven them to this fate, nor has he been unaware of them, so it seems. For when ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ they enter the oracle, Apollo will give Xuthus this child [Ion], claiming that it is Xuthus’s ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ natural born son. Later, Apollo will arrange for Creusa, the child’s true mother, to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ recognize that the boy entering her household is, in fact, the child she bore to Loxias. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Everyone will win! Loxias’ rape will remain concealed and the boy will receive his proper ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ birthright. Apollo will also ensure that the boy, the founder of Asian lands, will be called ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Ion throughout Greece. ​ ​ ​ ​ king​ ​of​ ​Athens​ ​and​ ​father​ ​of​ ​Creusa.​ ​Erichthonius​ ​is​ ​half​ ​man,​ ​half​ ​serpent—common​ ​among authochthons​ ​and​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​the​ ​non-Athenian​ ​autochthon​ ​Cecrops.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​Erechtheus​ ​who​ ​fight​ ​the battle​ ​against​ ​Poseidon’s​ ​son​ ​and​ ​is​ ​killed​ ​by​ ​Poseidon​ ​on​ ​the​ ​spot​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Acropolis​ ​now​ ​marked by​ ​the​ ​Erechtheum. Creusa and Ion meet in the temple, where Creusa has gone to pray concerning her lost ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ child and where Ion works as an attendant. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 260–272.​ ​Creusa:​ ​Creusa​ ​is​ ​my​ ​name,​ ​Erechtheus,​ ​my​ ​father,​ ​the​ ​city​ ​of​ ​Athens,​ ​my​ ​fatherland. Ion:​ ​You​ ​amaze​ ​me,​ ​lady.​ ​You​ ​live​ ​in​ ​a​ ​famous​ ​city​ ​and​ ​are​ ​born​ ​from​ ​noble​ ​ancestry. Creusa:​ ​I​ ​am​ ​fortunate​ ​in​ ​this​ ​regard,​ ​stranger,​ ​but​ ​in​ ​nothing​ ​more. Ion:​ ​By​ ​the​ ​gods,​ ​tell​ ​me​ ​truly,​ ​as​ ​the​ ​story​ ​is​ ​told​ ​among​ ​mortals… Creusa:​ ​What​ ​is​ ​it,​ ​stranger,​ ​that​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​learn?​ ​Ask​ ​it. Ion:​ ​Did​ ​your​ ​ancestors​ ​really​ ​sprout​ ​from​ ​the​ ​earth? Creusa:​ ​Erichthonius​ ​did,​ ​yes;​ ​not​ ​that​ ​my​ ​race​ ​benefits​ ​me​ ​at​ ​all. Ion:​ ​And​ ​did​ ​Athena​ ​really​ ​take​ ​him​ ​up​ ​from​ ​the​ ​earth? Creusa:​ ​Yes​ ​and​ ​right​ ​into​ ​her​ ​virgin​ ​hands;​ ​she​ ​didn’t​ ​give​ ​birth​ ​to​ ​him. Ion:​ ​And​ ​then​ ​she​ ​gave​ ​him,​ ​as​ ​paintings​ ​usually​ ​show… Creusa:​ ​…to​ ​the​ ​daughters​ ​of​ ​Kekrops​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​safe​ ​and​ ​hidden. 289–296.​ ​Ion:​ ​Who​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Athenians​ ​married​ ​you,​ ​lady? 5 Creusa:​ ​He​ ​isn’t​ ​a​ ​citizen,​ ​but​ ​an​ ​import ​ ​from​ ​another​ ​land. Ion:​ ​Who​ ​is​ ​he?​ ​He​ ​must​ ​be​ ​of​ ​noble​ ​race. Creusa:​ ​Xuthus,​ ​born​ ​of​ ​Aeolus​ ​and​ ​descended​ ​from​ ​Zeus. 5 ἐπακτός The Greek term , is typically used for mercenaries and emphasizes the view of Creusa​ ​that​ ​she​ ​is​ ​a​ ​war​ ​prize. Ion:​ ​And​ ​how​ ​did​ ​this​ ​foreigner​ ​get​ ​to​ ​marry​ ​someone​ ​as​ ​well-born​ ​as​ ​you? Creusa:​ ​There​ ​is​ ​a​ ​city​ ​in​ ​Euboea,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​near​ ​Athens… Ion:​ ​Separated​ ​by​ ​only​ ​a​ ​watery​ ​boundary,​ ​they​ ​say. 6 Creusa:​ ​Well,​ ​he​ ​attacked​ ​this​ ​city​ ​as​ ​an​ ​ally​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Cecropidae. Ion:​ ​He​ ​came​ ​as​ ​a​ ​mercenary​
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